Insurance May Not Cover Cracked Pipes Due To Negligence

Insurance May Not Cover Cracked Pipes Due To Negligence

One of the most common causes of water damage in a home is a cracked or leaking pipe. In some cases, the homeowner can spot the sign of a leak quickly and can easily turn off the main water valve before too much water damage has occurred. The homeowner may even may able to make the plumbing and home repairs on his or her own for minimal cost. However, in other cases, the water may spread quickly or the homeowner may not be at home when the issue develops. Water may be inches or more deep before the homeowner realizes something is wrong. Some instances also can result in mold growth, such as if the homeowner does not quickly address the water issue through remediation. You may think that your home insurance policy will pay for the majority of the repair bills, but some homeowners are unfortunately surprised to learn that their coverage does not apply to their situation.

Identifying the Cause of the Cracked Pipe

Pipes can crack or leak for numerous reasons. For example, the pipe may simply be old and weak, and it may have finally weakened to the point where it could no longer tolerate water pressure. In other cases, cold area may have caused the pipe to rupture. The homeowner may have turned off the heater and left for vacation. Perhaps the heater was on, but insulation around pipes in the exterior walls of the home was inadequate. Typically, a standard home insurance policy will cover damage that is sudden and unexpected. This may include some frozen pipe situations. However, if the homeowner was negligent, such as by turning off heat to the home in the dead of winter, the policy may not cover the damage.

Reviewing Your Insurance Policy

Standard policies may cover sudden and unexpected damage, but you may need a flood policy for other situations. For example, a flood policy may be required if the water damage was caused by a cracked sewer pipe that caused sewage waste to flow into your home or if water damage was done to the lawn and not to the home. By reviewing your policy, you can better determine if you can or should file a claim.

Exploring Your Best Options for Dealing With Water Damage

It is often best to speak with a plumber before filing a water damage claim. The plumber will be able to determine the cause of the damage. More than that, he or she can provide you with a repair quote to fix the pipe. You may also need to talk to a contractor about restoring water damage done to the home. Many home insurance policies have a deductible that equates to one to two percent of the home’s value. This means that you will still need to pay a sizable amount of the repair costs to meet your deductible. In some cases, it may not be worth having a claim on your record just for the insurance company to pay a very small amount of the repair cost.

A home insurance policy is in place to protect you from serious financial loss related to various types of damage and other issues. A water damage issue can be a very costly event to endure. Carefully review your policy and the repair quotes to determine if filing a claim is the right path to take.

Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Longmont, CO heating repair.